Succeeding Sir Alex Ferguson, who won 13 league titles during his time at the club, was always going to be difficult, but few expected this season to have gone so badly.

The list of unwanted records broken by Moyes is as embarrassing as it is long. United are guaranteed to end the season with their worst points total in Premier League history, they have failed to qualify for the Champions League for the first time in almost two decades while Moyes' home record is the worst of any United boss since 1978 when Dave Sexton was in charge.

The Red Devils are seventh in the Barclays Premier League with four matches to go, with Europa League qualification now also looking unlikely.

Moyes won 27, drew nine and lost 15 of his 51 games in charge.

The Scot was dogged by claims he was not up to the job ever since he took over last July.

Moyes had enjoyed 11 critically-acclaimed years at Everton, leading the club to five top-six finishes. The Toffees qualified for the Champions League for the first time under Moyes' stewardship - although they lost in the qualifying stages of the competition - and he also took the Merseyside club to the FA Cup final in 2009.

But all those achievements were small fry compared to what his predecessor achieved.

The enormity of the task in hand seemed to overwhelm Moyes from day one.

Moyes upset some within the club by bringing in his own coaching staff, while the likes of Rene Meulensteen, Eric Steele, and Mike Phelan departed.

Moyes also botched his first transfer window as United boss. The Scot pursued Barcelona's Cesc Fabregas when the Spaniard had no intention of leaving the SpaniSh giants.

Thiago Alcantara joined Bayern Munich ahead of United, while the club made a real hash of their attempts to sign Marouane Fellaini and Leighton Baines on the cheap.

United's bid of £28million for the pair was branded "derisory and insulting" by Everton.

Baines stayed and United ended up buying Fellaini for £27.5million when they could have bought him for £4million less had they acted quicker.

Moyes rarely looked comfortable in front of the cameras, and for that reason many felt Jose Mourinho, who left Real Madrid to rejoin Chelsea last summer, would have been a better option.

Press Association Sport understands no decision has yet been made on the futures of the coaches Moyes brought into United - Steve Round, Phil Neville, Chris Woods and Jimmy Lumsden.

Rumours of player unhappiness with Moyes' tactics training methods persisted throughout his reign, although the Scot always denied there were any problems.

In December, Rio Ferdinand questioned Moyes' policy of naming his starting XI on the day of the game, claiming it turned him into a "madman" wondering whether he was to be selected.

Shortly after United's embarrassing 2-0 defeat at Olympiacos, Robin van Persie complained about his team-mates running into his space on the pitch.

The shock news that Danny Welbeck, an academy graduate born in Manchester, wanted to leave the club, did not go down well with the United hierarchy.

Moyes also oversaw the exit of highly-respected club captain Nemanja Vidic, who will leave for Inter Milan in the summer.

Another senior figure and dressing room stalwart Patrice Evra may follow the Serbian out the door when his contract expires.

Moyes succeeded where Ferguson failed in tying Wayne Rooney down to a long-term contract.

Goalkeeper David de Gea and Adnan Januzaj have also developed well during Moyes' reign, but that cannot be said for the rest of the squad and many supporters became disenchanted with the slow and methodical style of play on show at Old Trafford this year.